Epinephrine & Adrenaclick – EpiPen Alternatives Nobody is Talking About

These are the lifesaving drug injectors being overlooked as more light is shed on the high cost of EpiPens.

More and more stories are being told about EpiPen’s unaffordability. Individuals are taking dangerous steps, like using expired or recalled medications, because they can’t afford the high costs of their prescription drugs.

Jennie, a mother of three, recently found out her 10-year-old son needed an EpiPen prescription after he was nearly hospitalized for an allergy attack. Her son has a life-threatening allergy to cats and, if he comes in contact with one, could go into anaphylaxis. If he isn’t administered Epinephrine right away, the outcome could be fatal.

After Jennie found out her son’s diagnosis, she immediately purchased a number of Auvi-Q pens. They are a more affordable alternative to EpiPen. What Jennie didn’t know was Auvi-Q would be recalled some months later.

“I had no choice but to keep recalled and expired Auvi-Q injectors handy, just in case the unthinkable happened.”

Jennie is insured, on a high-deductible health plan, but her family hasn’t hit their deductible this year. They would have to pay the full out-of-pocket cost for new EpiPens – thousands of dollars – if they replaced the Auvi-Q pens. She could cut her costs though if she went with Adrenaclick (brand) or Epinephrine (generic) injector pens.

Unable to afford the replacement EpiPens, she decided to hang onto the Auvi-Q injector pens. Since EpiPen prices are still too high, she felt like she had no choice but to keep her expired and recalled Auvi-Q injector pens around, just in case her son experiences a severe allergy attack.

This is just one example of how consumers are taking dangerous steps, because they can’t afford their medications. There are undoubtedly more stories, just like this, out there.

Consumers need to know they may have options outside of well-known brand name drugs. For example, there is a more affordable brand alternative to EpiPen, called Adrenaclick. Furthermore, Adrenaclick has a generic alternative named Epinephrine. Epinephrine costs about a third of what EpiPen does. Quantities are fewer in number though, so consumers are being put on waiting lists.

Epinephrine and Adrenaclick – Don’t forget about generic alternatives

It is important for consumers to be aware of generic alternatives. This is why RxSaver displays the generic version of its brand name counterpart, if available.

Consumer education is key in situations like this. Drug prices vary by pharmacy location and also by which a discount source is used. It is important for consumers to use online price search tools, like RxSaver, to locate the lowest pharmacy price for their prescriptions.